Welcome to the Fall 2019 Menu:
UPDATES: We have received insightful feedback from many of you asking for the inclusion of specific diets. We will continue to work on ways to simplify our spreadsheets in order to make tray line easier for your dietary team. Please update your staff on the current changes we have made:
Finger foods: Moving forward we will include finger foods in the menu. Please let us know if certain items do not work or if you have any ideas of items that could be better.
CCHO diet: We now have the option on most menu items for a half portion of a regular dessert, OR a diet option. Some facilities prefer to serve diet desserts while others prefer half portions regular desserts- so we try to include both. Note that some items like gelatin & ice cream will remain diet for all.
A request came in for a Renal CCHO diet: To do this, we have split the dessert cell of the renal menu to allow appropriate diet items OR, to keep it easier, we try to make the renal CCHO option a half portion of the regular dessert (when possible) so that those of you who serve the liberalized CCHO diet will not need to prepare a sugar free dessert.
Portions: Please note, whenever there is a measured portion like “2 x 2” we now write ‘1 svg ‘ (serving). The recipe has the serving measurement for reference. For these items, the menu will then have ‘half’ for ‘small’ and ‘1-1/2 ’ for large. We are doing this to make your job easier for serving, since it is hard to cut these items precisely. It will be easier to be in compliance when serving.
You will also notice that for scoops and spoodle servings, the starch is now again 4 oz spoodle or # 8 scoop. This is because most side bread has been taken off the menu due to multiple requests stating that it is not being eaten.
Some residents often complain of ‘too much food’ on their plate, so small portions will be #16 scoop or 2 oz.
In our experience, heavy set residents want more food. Large will be # 8 scoop or 4 oz starches, but 6 oz for large portion vegetables. This portioning will fill up the plate with less calories.
FORTIFIED DIET: By this time, you should have the complete set of fortified recipes. We are sending a form for your diet manual referring to the use of these recipes for fortifying the diet. Each resident has different food preferences, so be sure to fortify diets accordingly. The default items are built into the menu, however additional fortified items can be served.
PUREE DIET: Hopefully you are using the puree recipes effectively.
DISASTER STOCK TO ROTATE: This cycle please rotate the disaster stock of macaroni and saltine crackers. Crackers have been added to the menu whenever soup is served to help with rotation of this item. Macaroni is on the menu, so your canned mac and cheese can be used up and replaced. This will save money.
IDDSI: If you remember the IDDSI will be the new diet texture. Please start learning about it. Go to http://www.iddsi.com (see Resources).
OUR WEBSITE: Our website is now live! Please visit it at http://www.nutritionmenusolutions.com
To make access easier for the future please create an email beginning with dietary@ rather than your name. This should be followed by your facility’s web address, for example dietary@longtermcarefacility.com – this way, any change of supervisor will not prevent your access to our website as it develops.
Wishes for a Bountiful Fall Harvest! Your Nutrition Menu Solutions Team